Anti-pollution barrier

ABSTRACT

Anti-pollution barrier for aquatic regions comprising a watertight skirt and floats and ballast connected to the skirt. A longitudinal semi-rigid tension strip is rigidly fastened to the skirt at spaced apart points so as to form skirt segments which are longer than corresponding segments of the tension strip and constitute arch-shaped skirt portions. The strip is located substantially midway between the top and bottom edges of the skirt and is fastened to the skirt by a plurality of stiffening means at said points. Each stiffening means defines faces between which the strip is clamped against the skirt.

United States Patent [1 1 Lamboley OTHER PUBLICATIONS Gilbert Andre Lamboley, Sartrouvme, France Ocean Industry, February 1970, p. 84.

[73] Assignee: Etablissements Hutchinson primwy Examiner Mervin s i cmnpagnie Natifmale Assistant Examiner-David I-I. Corbin Caolltchouc, Pans, France Attorney-Irvin S. Thompson et al.

Apr. 18, 1972 ANTI-POLLUTION BARRIER [75] Inventor:

[22] Filed:

[57] ABSTRACT -pollution barrier for aquatic regions comprising a watertight skirt and floats and ballast connected to the [21] Appl. No.: 245,161

skirt. A longitudinal semi-rigid tension strip is rigidly .U n A 7 00 M n mM 3 M m .mm w .me m "Wu. P A1 7 9 W Ml. Fa r D. A

fastened to the skirt at spaced apart points so as to form skirt segments which are longer than corresponding segments of the tension strip and constitute archshaped skirt portions. The strip is located substantially midway between the top and bottom edges of the skirt and is fastened to the skirt by a plurality of stiffening means at said points. Each stiffening means defines faces between which the strip is clamped against the skirt.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS mmh Km d saw UIF 1]] 218 555 61/] F 10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Risin et a].

m m MB 02 77 99 NH 300 I I I l l I ll llllllll a, L 2 q wnw PATENTED UEE 4 I975 In l l l l l w d if L ANTI-POLLUTION BARRIER The present invention relates to anti-pollution barriers of utility in aquatic regions and in particular for constituting an enclosure retaining a sheet of oil which has escaped from an oil tanker which has had an acci dent so as to avoid pollution of the sea and enable the oil to be recovered, for example by pumping in the centre of vortex produced by a turbine.

More precisely, the invention relates to an antipollution barrier comprising a watertight skirt, for example of waterproofed fabric, which is providedwith floats and ballast and is connected to a tension element having tensile strength at spaced apart points which define longitudinal segments on the skirt and on the tension element, the length of one skirt segment being greater than the length of the corresponding segment of the tension element.

In such a barrier, which in service forms multiple arch-shaped portions, the retention of the polluted sheet and the resistance to the tensile strain due to the forces exerted by the sheet, sea currents, swell, wind etc.., are assumed respectively by the watertight skirt and the tension element to which the skirt is connected, each skirt segment deployed in the form of an are only being required to support the limited forces exerted between the points of origin of the arc.

It is known to employ as a tension element in such a barrier a cable or cord which, although it effectively resists the essential load due to the tensileforces, allows the skirt a very considerable freedom of deformation so that the skirt has no transverse rigidity and no resistance to torsion. Consequently, under the effect of the forces exerted in the vertical plane in an eccentric manner relative to the cable, for example due to the swell, the skirt may assume an inclination which is such that the polluted sheet passes through the skirt and the barrier loses its effect.

Owing to the lack of transverse rigidity and lackof resistance to torsion the known barrier cannot be employed in a region subjected to the effect of tides, as a coastal barrier which is uncovered at low tide, since, owing to its lack of stability, the skirt is incapable of assuming a definite orientation, necessary if the skirt is to perform its retaining function, either during the rising tide period for protecting the coast or the falling tide period for applying itself flat on the ground in an even manner in a position which ensures an automatic erection of the skirt when the following rising tide arrives. The deformability of the skirt indeed tends to result in the skirt twisting when it is subjected to the ebb and flow of the tide.

An object of the invention is to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks and provide a barrier of the aforementioned type, wherein the tension element is a semi-rigid flat strip which is located roughly midway up the height of the skirt and rigidly fastened to theskirt by transverse stifi'ening means providedat the respective fastening points and comprising plane surfaces between which the strip is clamped against the skirt.

The tension strip thus somewhat constitutes a longitudinal median reinforcement for the skirt which imparts to the latter a resistance to torsion which brakes and limits the transverse pivotal movements of the skirt under the effect of the swell and prevents it from assuming an inclination which would havean adverse effect on the efficiency of the barrier. The band,which is preferablymade in the form of a conveyor belt with multiple layers of rubber reinforced by textile or metal reinforcements, nonetheless permits owing to its midway' localisation on the skirt, a certain freedom of deformation of the skirt whichmust be capable of undergoing the concertina effect due to the swell and of following wave'troughs of more than four metres.

Owing to its high resistance to torsion, afforded by the presence of the strip which somewhat performs the function of a spine, the skirt maintains'under all circumstances a definite orientation which enables it to be employed as'a coastal barrier in atidal region. In this application, it is advantageous to arrange theballast in the form of a chain fastened to the lower ends of the stiffeners and, if desired, at intermediate points of the skirt and below thelower edge of'the latter. When, for example; thebarrier is disposed on the ground at low tide, with the reinforcing strip undemeath, the successive stages of the rising tide produce, first, a raising, under the effect of the floats, of the upper part of the skirt about the hooking points of the ballast chain, then a sliding of the half-raised barrier by a sliding of the chains under the effect of the thrust of the water, and finally a rotation of theskirt about the neutral fibre of thereinforcingstripin theregion of the stiffeners. The barrierthus becomes automatically erected in a position in whichit affords thedesired protection.

In orderto precludea tilting of the barrier of more than it is desirable that the reinforcing strip constitute an auxiliary ballast opposing the raising torque, thatis, that-the neutral fibre of the strip be located slightly further away from the chain hooking points than from the upper edge of the skirt.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description with reference to the accompanying drawing;

In the drawing FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the barrier according to the invention in its immersed position of utilization;

FIG. 2 isa-horizontal sectional view of the means for suspendingthe ballast chain, and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a part of the barrier placed initially at low tide on the ground of the coast, this Figure showing the first stage of a rising tide.

The anti-pollution barrier shown partly in FIG. 1 comprises a skirt 1 of fabric coated with an elastomer whose median part is fastened to a strip or belt'2 of high tensile strengthin evenly-spaced regions 3. The fastening is achievedby clampingthe stript2 against the skirt 1 between, on one hand-, two flanges 4,6 of a T-section member 7 of an aluminum alloy, which extends transversely throughout the entire height of the outer face of the skirt 1, and, on the other hand, three unoxidizable metal plates8 'which are applied against the inner face of the strip 2. The clamping is achieved for example by means of rivets 9 of unoxidizable metal which extend through the flanges 4,6 and the plates 8.

The connection of the skirt 1 to the'section members 7, which constitute stiffeners, is completed, in the upper part, by other rivets 9 which extend through the flange 4,6 and an-additional plate 8 applied against the inner face of the skirt, and, in the lower part, by bolts of unoxidizable metal 11 which extend through the eyes of two connecting links 12 and an inner counterplate (not shown) applied against the inner face of the lower edge portion of the skirt 1.

Fixed to the outer face of the skirt by adhesion, are vertical floats 13 of prismatic shape which are of plastic foam material or balsa wood or corkwood. These floats are evenly spaced apart between the regions 3 occupied by the stiffening members 7. Fixed on the flanges 4,6 of the latter, are also elements 14 constituting floats which leave uncovered the regions in which the rivets 9 and bolts 11 are disposed.

A continuous chain 16 constituting a ballast is hooked to the connecting links 12 combined with the lower part of the stiffeners 7 and to auxiliary connecting links 17 which are fixed to the lower edge portion of the skirt in the region of each float 13a which is located halfway between two successive stiffeners 7. As shown in FIG. 2, the two branches of each auxiliary connecting link 17 are locked on each side of two plates 18 of unoxidizable metal. The latter are made to clamp therebetween the assembly consisting of the skirt 1, two steel sheets 19 of high tensile strength and a layer 21 of rubber protecting the sheets 19 against corrosion, by the action of a bolt 22 which extends through the eyes of the connecting links, the plates 18, the skirt 1 and the space between the sheets 19 covered with the layer of rubber 21 which is apertured and a nut 23 screwed on the bolt 22.

The length of the skirt segments defined by the stiffening and fastening section members 7 exceeds the length of the corresponding segments of the reinforcing strip or belt 2. When the barrer is in use as shown in FIG. 1 and constitutes an enclosure confining a polluted sheet floating on the water, the opening defined by the opposite ends of the barrier being on the upstream side of the enclosure relative to the prevailing currents and maintained in position by a suitable anchorage of the free ends of the tension strip 2, the skirt segments are deployed and constitute multiple archshaped portions. A detailed description of this manner of using a barrier is given in the French magazine SCI- ENCE, PROGRES ET DECOUVERTE of March 1971 on page 20 and illustrated in FIG. 3 of this magazine. The barrier may also be placed in position on the open sea so as to capture a polluted sheet floating on the sea by casting the barrier from a ship equipped for this purpose.

It is also possible to employ the barrier in a tidal region for the protection of the coast line or shore. In this case, the barrier may be laid out flat on the ground at low tide, with the reinforcing strip located under the skirt. FIG. 3 shows the barrier employed under these conditions, in the course of the first stage of a rising tide. Under the effect of the floats 13, the centre part of a skirt segment located on each side of the float 13a to which the auxiliary connecting link 17 is connected, rotates about the fixed zone defined by the ballast chain 16, the reinforcing strip 2 remaining in contact with the ground. In a second stage of the rising tide, the barrier slides under the effect of the thrust of the rising tidal flow, the chain sliding along the ground. In a third and last stage, the whole of the barrier including the ballast chain rises from the ground and rotates about the neutral fibre of the reinforcing strip 2 in the region of the stiffeners and finally assumes its vertical operative position.

In order to ensure that the barrier does not swing through more 90 and completely overturn, it is desirable that in the course of the re-erection of the barrier the reinforcing strip 2 exert a braking torque. This is achieved by adopting for the distance D between the lower point of the connecting links 12 and the neutral fibre of the strip 2 a value which exceeds the distance d between this neutral fibre and the upper edge of the skirt 1.

In FIG. 1, the strip or belt 2 has been extended toward the left as viewed in FIG. 1 and terminates in a serie of books 26 deeply anchored in the layers of rubber which alternate in the strip 2 with layers of reinforcing fabric, these hooks being provided for coinciding with identical hooks of another section of reinforcing strip so as to allow a connection between two sections by means of a pin 27 which is passed through the aligned hooks.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An anti-pollution barrier of utility in aquatic regions comprising means defining an elongate flexible skirt impermeable to the pollution and having a top longitudinally extending edge and a bottom longitudinally extending edge in the position of use of the skirt; float means connected to the skirt;

ballast means connected to the skirt;

means for increasing the resistance of the skirt to twisting about a longitudinal axis of the skirt and comprising a longitudinally extending wide thin flat semi-rigid belt whose width extends in the same direction as the width of the skirt, the belt being located substantially midway between said top edge and bottom edge, a plurality of stiffening means which are capable of affording constant rigidity in operation of the barrier and extended substantially from said top edge to said bottom edge of the skirt in longitudinally spaced regions of the belt, a plurality of fixing means rigidly fixing each stiffening means to the corresponding region of the belt, which corresponding region extends substantially throughout the width of the belt, and fixing means rigidly fixing the stiffening means to longitudinally spaced regions of the skirt, eAch of which regions of the skirt extends substantially throughout the width of the skirt, whereby relative movement between said regions of the belt and said regions of the skirt is precluded and deformation of the skirt tends to deform the belt;

said regions of the belt defining longitudinally extending belt segments and said regions of the skirt defining longitudinally extending skirt segments which are longer than the belt segments.

2. A barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt has an inner face and the belt constitutes a reinforcement and is clamped against said inner face.

3. A barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt has an outer face and floats are fixed to the outer face of the skirt and extend substantially throughout the height of the skirt between said top edge and said bottom edge.

4. A barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt is of waterproofed fabric.

5. An anti-pollution barrier of utility in aquatic regions comprising means defining an elongate flexible skirt impermeable to the pollution and having an outer face, an inner face, a top longitudinally extending edge and a bottom longitudinally extending edge in the position of use of the skirt;

gions comprising:

float means connected to the skirt;

ballast means connected to the skirt;

means for increasing the resistance of the skirt to twisting about a longitudinal axis of the skirt and comprising a longitudinally extending wide thin flat 5 semi-rigid belt like a conveyor belt whose width ex tends in the same direction as the width of the skirt, the belt being located substantially midway between said top edge and bottom edge, a plurality of T-section stiffening members which are applied against the outer face of the skirt and extend substantially from said top edge to said bottom edge of the skirt in longitudinally spaced regions of the belt, a plurality of fixing means ridigly fixing each stiffening member to the corresponding region of the belt, which corresponding region extends substantially throughout the width of the belt, and fixing means rigidly fixing the stiffening members to longitudinally spaced regions of the skirt, each of which regions of the skirt extends substantially s w lhiw fih Q he k s 1 .vh z ati!i movement between said regions of the belt and said regions of the skirt is precluded and deformation of the skirt tends to deform the belt;

said regions of the belt defining longitudinally extending belt segments and said regions of the skirt defining longitudinally extending skirt segments which are longer than the belt segments.

6. An anti-pollution barrier of utility in aquatic remeans defining an elongate flexible skirt impermeable to the pollution and having a top longitudinally extending edge and a bottom longitudinally extending edge in the position of use of the skirt;

float means connected to the skirt;

ballast means comprising a chain and means suspending the chain from the Skin in a region of the skirt adjacent said bottom edge;

means for increasing the resistance of the skirt to twisting about a longitudinal axis of the skirt and comprising a longitudinally extending wide thin flat semi-rigid belt whose width extends in the same direction as the width of the skirt, the belt being located substantially midway between said top edge and bottom edge, a plurality of stiffening means which are capable of affording constant rigidity in operation of the barrier and extend substantially from said top edge to said bottom edge of the skirt in longitudinallY spaced regions of the belt, a plurality of fixing means rigidly fixing each stiffening means to the corresponding region of the belt,

which corresponding region extends substantially throughout the width of the belt, and fixing means rigidly fixing the stiffening means to longitudinally spaced regions of the skirt, each of which regions of the skirt extends substantially throughout the width of the skirt, whereby relative movement between said regions of the belt and said regions of the skirt is precluded and deformation of the skirt tends to deform the belt;

said regions of the belt defining longitudinally extending belt segments and said regions of the skirt defining longitudinally extending skirt segments which are longer than the belt segments.

7. A barrier as claimed in claim 6, wherein the chain is suspended from the skirt in regions of the stiffening means.

8. A barrier as claimed in claim 7, comprising at least one additional float fixed to the skirt and located between pairs of successive stiffening means.

9. A barrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the chain is also suspended from the skirt in the region of said additional floats.

10. A barrier as claimed in claim 6, wherein the belt has a neutral fibre which is located at a greater distance from the region of the skirt in which the chain is suspended than from said top edge of the skirt. 

1. An anti-pollution barrier of utility in aquatic regions comprising : means defining an elongate flexible skirt impermeable to the pollution and having a top longitudinally extending edge and a bottom longitudinally extending edge in the position of use of the skirt; float means connected to the skirt; ballast means connected to the skirt; means for increasing the resistance of the skirt to twisting about a longitudinal axis of the skirt and comprising a longitudinally extending wide thin flat semi-rigid belt whose width extends in the same direction as the width of the skirt, the belt being located substantially midway between said top edge and bottom edge, a plurality of stiffening means which are capable of affording constant rigidity in operation of the barrier and extended substantially from said top edge to said bottom edge of the skirt in longitudinally spaced regions of the belt, a plurality of fixing means rigidly fixing each stiffening means to the corresponding region of the belt, which corresponding region extends substantially throughout the width of the belt, and fixing means rigidly fixing the stiffening means to longitudinally spaced regions of the skirt, eAch of which regions of the skirt extends substantially throughout the width of the skirt, whereby relative movement between said regions of the belt and said regions of the skirt is precluded and deformation of the skirt tends to deform the belt; said regions of the belt defining longitudinally extending belt segments and said regions of the skirt defining longitudinally extending skirt segments which are longer than the belt segments.
 2. A barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt has an inner face and the belt constitutes a reinforcement and is clamped against said inner face.
 3. A barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt has an outer face and floats are fixed to the outer face of the skirt and extend substantially throughout the height of the skirt between said top edge and said bottom edge.
 4. A barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt is of waterproofed fabric.
 5. An anti-pollution barrier of utility in aquatic regions comprising : means defining an elongate flexible skirt impermeable to the pollution and having an outer face, an inner face, a top longitudinally extending edge and a bottom longitudinally extending edge in the position of use of the skirt; float means connected to the skirt; ballast means connected to the skirt; means for increasing the resistance of the skirt to twisting about a longitudinal axis of the skirt and comprising a longitudinally extending wide thin flat semi-rigid belt like a conveyor belt whose width extends in the same direction as the width of the skirt, the belt being located substantially midway between said top edge and bottom edge, a plurality of T-section stiffening members which are applied against the outer face of the skirt and extend substantially from said top edge to said bottom edge of the skirt in longitudinally spaced regions of the belt, a plurality of fixing means ridigly fixing each stiffening member to the corresponding region of the belt, which corresponding region extends substantially throughout the width of the belt, and fixing means rigidly fixing the stiffening members to longitudinally spaced regions of the skirt, each of which regions of the skirt extends substantially throughout the width Of the skirt, whereby Relative movement between said regions of the belt and said regions of the skirt is precluded and deformataOn of the skirt tends to deform the belt; said regions of the belt defining longitudinally extending belt segments and said regions of the skirt defining longitudinally extending skirt segments which are longer than the belt segments.
 6. An anti-pollution barrier of utility in aquatic regions comprising: means defining an elongate flexible skirt impermeable to the pollution and having a top longitudinally extending edge and a bottom longitudinally extending edge in the position of use of the skirt; float means connected to the skirt; ballast means comprising a chain and means suspending the chain from the skirt in a region of the skirt adjacent said bottom edge; means for increasing the resistance of the skirt to twisting about a longitudinal axis of the skirt and comprising a longitudinally extending wide thin flat semi-rigid belt whose width extends in the same direction as the width of the skirt, the belt being located substantially midway between said top edge and bottom edge, a plurality of stiffening means which are capable of affording constant rigidity in operation of the barrier and extend substantially from said top edge to said bottom edge of the skirt in longitudinallY spaced regions of the belt, a plurality of fixing means rigidly fixing each stiffening means tO the corresponding region of the belt, which corresponding region extends substantially throughout the width of the belt, and fixing means rigidly fixing the stiffening means to longitudinally spaced regions of the skirt, each of which regions of the skirt extends substantially throughout the width of the skirt, whereby relative movement between said regions of the belt and said regions of the skirt is precluded and deformation of the skirt tends to deform the belt; said regions of the belt defining longitudinally extending belt segments and said regions of the skirt defining longitudinally extending skirt segments which are longer than the belt segments.
 7. A barrier as claimed in claim 6, wherein the chain is suspended from the skirt in regions of the stiffening means.
 8. A barrier as claimed in claim 7, comprising at least one additional float fixed to the skirt and located between pairs of successive stiffening means.
 9. A barrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the chain is also suspended from the skirt in the region of said additional floats.
 10. A barrier as claimed in claim 6, wherein the belt has a neutral fibre which is located at a greater distance from the region of the skirt in which the chain is suspended than from said top edge of the skirt. 